Filleting machine



Aug. 13, 1940. o. RIESKE 2,210,955

FILLETING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. '7, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet l W M a .I f @L -j- 4414 v y I j a j.; 66' if 45 7 o o l l nll I o' ,Hh I Il., 50 o Il o @s e 5 e I o R i! 'o o 65 o ,o o Il' Il c j \`o 5 'I o ,II j" ,Il if? 64 1 J7 2Q/vena 1;

Aug. 13, 1940i o. G. RlEsKE 2,210,955

FILLETING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 70 Euren/fog Aug. 13, 1940 o. G. RlEsKE FILLETING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 7, 1935 4 Sheets=Sheet 3 Aug 13, l940- 0. G. RlEsKE l 2,210,955

I FILLETING MACHINE v Original Filed Nov. 7. 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l ff (L JM Q/fa r 22, gl.

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 l UNIT-Eo STATES.

, 2,210,955; FILLETING MACHINE: om e., niesk'e, Buffalo, N.` Yf.

Application November 7, 1935, SerialfN'. 48,688

2 Renewed December:l .28,1v 19391;

1i claims.

This finvention lrelates to new and useful im-` provements in a lleting machine which has beendesignedmoreparticularly fory slicing fish and removing-the center bones therefrom. E.' One of its objects is the provisionofa machine of-th-is character having simple, eflicient and reliable means for expeditiously and economically eiecting the cutting ofV the sh on A eitherside-of the center bone, back bone and belly bonefvvithv a minimum of-waste. f Another object of-.the `invention is tc provide a. high vspeed cutting mechanism including relatively reciprocating saw blades or knives disposed at an a'ngletoeach-oth'er to providel a substantially V-shaped cuttingthroat, in combination with sh' carriers movable past the cutter mechanism` and so disposed as to effect a gradual lessening ofthe width of "cut from the head-end to the tail-end of the sh. l

2li@ Other features-of the invention reside in the construction and varrangement-ofv parts hereinaiter'describedand particularly pointed out in the-appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

15.11;- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a iilleting ma.-

chineV embodying my invention. Figure2 is an enlarged, fragmentary `horizontal section taken substantially in the plane offline 2 2, Figure 1. Figure 3'is an enlarged fragmentary cross secson tiontaken yin the plane of line 3 3, Figure f1.'

Figure 4f is a\1 fra'gm'entary, perspective view of the driving-l means forA the reciprocating knives or sawblades. Figure 5 is a detached perspective View'of one of/the holder sections of rthe fish ccarrier1and its associatedparts. Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section' taken on line IIL-6, Figure-2, showing the means for connecting the saw blade or knife to the reciprocating cutter yoke. Figure 7 is a horizontal section 40. takenon-line 1 1, Figure 6. Figure B is a detached perspective view-of the adjusting element ofthesaw blade connecting means. Figure 9 is an -enlarged fragmentary horizontal section taien in the yplane of line 9 9, Figure 3. Figure 10 is airagmentary sectional rear view of the reciprocatingcutter mechanism and associated parts. Figure 11 is a cross section taken substantially in thevplanel of line` II I I, Figure 10. Figure 12 isa4 detail side view of the drive mechanism for the conveyor chains.

-Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.'

In its general organization, this machine comprises `a-.suitable frame yfor supporting its workingipartsa cutting mechanismior." producing a 'mechanisme (ci. n n

substantially wedgeshape cut lengthwisethrough the iish-oneither side of its"center.bone,`back bone .and belly bone, and Hat-conveyor having holders fercarryingA the" fish-@past the-cutting mechanism. v A 5i- The frame ofthe machine may consist of two sections,A one? section, for example, beingfiinf the formr offanstandardl Ilrisingrfrom a base I I'I for supporting therrcutting-f mechanism of Athe ina-l chirie'; and :theiother sectionconsisti'ng `oa `sulc-V 10? vstantially\triangular-shaped frame I 2 mounted on"- the'f standard '1. for,vl supporting the conveyor The cutting' mechanis edl'asifollows:

I'heinumeralslf-IS; I3 indicate'a pair Avcficutter ori-sawc blades; which: are-'.disposedpside by side infspaced-'parallelrelation andwhich. cross each otl-ierjedg'ewiseto form al wedge-shaped :or an"- gularscuttn'g athroat between them, `the ish being 20 presentedto. this cutting-throat to-,slice thesame on.E :either side andi close to zthercenter. bone back; bone 'and :belly boneso -asnto :reduce`- thewaste oirl'meattoa minimum.'- These.` blades are madey l ofi` band steeltzor'like fiexibleimaterial arid are 25 detachably..:mo1inted'v onf. vertically reciprocating framesiforzyokes lli, I4;` ofvsubstantially `U -shape which are secured adjacent to the upperl and l lower fends'fiof.A their jf, cross bars by i tie members ispreferably construct- 'K v 15 lto'icompanion vertically-reciproeating. slide 30` y barsl; I6 suitablyv guided for movement relative to.A and fs'u'spended from 1a4 kbracket I 1 L secured to tlfieupperrend:of..the standardl Ir Theseslide I bars i areguidedat their l.upper 'and .lower ends in suitable guide heads' I8 .applied `to companion Aupp-` 35, rightlinkseorlsupports1I9,:. I9which are .in turn connectedat 'their upper andnlower ends. torlugs oit-:ears:2iprojectingzforwardly'from the bracket `side of;thezcenterfbone.:V Y Y 55,

In order to effect an adjustment of the angular or wedge-shaped disposition of the blades I3, I provide means consisting of adjustable connections between the yoke-supports I 9 and the bracket-lugs 2i). As seen in Figures 3, l0 and ll, these adjustable connections preferably consist of upper and lower attaching screws or studs 2t,` 2l which serve to connect the supports I9 to the bracketl'l and extend through the .bracket-lugs 2li and through correspondingslots 28 and 29, respectively, formed in the lower and upper ends of such slide-bar supports. The lower slot 2B of each support is preferably slightly elongated transversely thereof While the upper slot 29 of each support is preferably curved or arcuate in shape and is defined by a radius from the lower stud 2l. Set screws 3D screwed, into the opposite side edges of each support project intol the corresponding slots 28, 25 and are adapted to abut against the opposite sides of the companion pivot 2B, 2l to accordingly adjust the supports IS and likewise the position of the blade-yokes I4, T4 to bring their blades I3 into the desired angular relation required to eiect the removal of the center bone from a given size and type of fish with a minimum of waste.

While any suitable means may be employed for detachably connecting the cutter blades I3 at their ends to the yokes I4, I preferably employ adjustable connectors or fittings each including a square blade-engagingshank 3l fitted in a notch 32 formed in a rotatable bearing Ymember or block 33 extending through an opening 34 in the free end of the respectiveA yoke and having a screw-threaded shank 35 projecting above the bearing block. A nut 36 applied to this shank serves to properly adjust the connector to meet the required tension of the cutter blade. At one end the bearing block 33 has a laterally-extending flange 31 containing an arcuate slot 38, whereby the connector may be turned in one direction or the other to effect the proper angular disposition of the cutter blade I3, a screw or bolt 39 being employed for holding the bearing block in a desired set position of adjustment. As seen in Figure 6, each blade maybe detachably connected to its connector by a cotter4 pin or like fastening.

For the purpose of guiding the operative portions of the cutter blades I3 and maintaining them in their correct angular position of adjustment during their reciprocation, I provide upper and lower sets of guides 40, the lower set of guides being positioned adjacent the intersecting portions of the blades and the' upper set, of guides being positioned'above the path of travel of the sh being cut. Each of these blade-guides 40 is preferably in the form of an adjustable block and, as shown in Figure 9; is provided with a longitudinal blade-receiving notch 4I and a transverse slot 42 through which pass a'fastening bolt or screw 43 for enabling the guide to be adjusted to the predetermined position of the saw blade. The lower set of blade-guides is mounted on the adjoining portion of the frame I2 of the machine, while the upper set of blade-guides may be applied to a supporting rail 44 mounted for vertical adjustment on suitable posts 45 secured to the machine frame. This rail has an opening 4'6 therein through which the cutter blades extend, in the manner shown in Figures 3 and 9. Upon loosening the clamping bolt 43, each guide 40 may be moved in or out, laterally of its respective support, or swung about the'boltas a pivot' to bring the cutter blade at the Vp'roperrposition required for cutting the fish on either side of its center bone.

The triangular frame I2 is fastened to the standard I0 by bolts 4l and to enable this frame to have a limited vertical adjustment on the standard, it has slots 48 through which the bolts pass. The conveying mechanism for carrying and presenting the fish to the cutter mechanism is supported by this frame and preferably consists of two endless chains 49 disposed side by side in parallel relation to each other and passing around sprocket Wheels 50 mounted on corresponding shafts 5I located at the three corners of the frame, as seen in Figure l. Both conveyor chains are driven in unison at a slow speed compared with that of the reciprocating cutter blades I3, and `for this purpose an electric motor 52 or like source of power is provided which is connected by a chain 53 and sprockets 54, 54a, respectively, with the left hand sprocket shaft 5I. These conveyor chains are driven in a counterclockwise direction toward the cutting edges of the blades I3, and the upper stretches of these chains are substantially horizontal or at right angles to the path of travel of the blades and are disposed above the point of intersection of the blades.

Mounted at suitable intervals on the conveyor` chains 49 are a plurality of fish-holders or carriers indicated generally by the numeral 55. Each of these fish-holders is preferably composed of two sections or walls 5E, each section beingA shaped substantially to the contour of the fish and being concavo-convex in cross section, the sections of a pair being disposed directly opposite each other on the respective chains with their concave faces in opposing relation to form a hollow open ended chamber for receiving and supporting the iish while being cut. Coupled to each of the conveyor chains is a base plate 51 to which the respective holder-section 56 is adjustably and detachably connected, this base plate being provided along its opposite longitudinal edges with a laterally-opening guide groove 58 and a downwardly-opening guide groove 59 which are adapted for engagement with companion track-like elements or rails 60 and 6I for guiding the holder bases along the horizontal stretches of the chains during the cutting operation on the fish. As shown in Figure 5, the holder-sections 5S are provided adjacent their opposite ends with laterally-projecting stud bolts 62 which engage corresponding brackets 63 rising from the base plates 5'! and having upright slots `64 therein through which the studs pass and whereby the adjustment of the holder may be readily effected to present the sh in the correct relative relation tothe cutter blades. the opposing upper and lower edges of the holdersections 5B terminate shortof each other to provide a longitudinal passage 65 between them for receiving the cutter blades as the holder travels past the same to slice the fish. The holdersections are adjustable toward and from each other to vary'the width of the passage 65 in accordance with the particular fish being operated upon, and this adjustment is effected by clamping nuts 66 applied to the stud bolts 62 on either side of the brackets 63. In practice, the holders are slightly inclined to the horizontal as they are presented to the cutter blades I3, the head end of the sh being first to engage the cutter blades with its center bone positioned in the upper, wider portion of the V-shaped throat, and

asthe fish is propelled, forwardly, the centerA As seen in Figures2 and 3,.

bona-.which graduallyjtapers towardgthe tailend, of the iish, is;v correspondingly :lowered due.` .to`r

the inclined position of the holder, to bring such bone.;opposite ther contracted lower portion of..

` the V-shaped throat, whereby the width ofgthe.

Briefly stated, the, operation of the machine is` as follows: v

Upon starting the motors. 23 and 52, motionl is" transmittedto ther cutter blades; I3: and to the..

conveyorchains i495. the cutter blades reciprocating at a high speed and the conveyor chains` traveling at a comparatively slow speed. As the fish holders 55 are presented by the conveyor chainsinto a vertical position, as seen at the right in Figure I, the operator drops the iish, tail first, into these holders, and as they are propelled horizontally by the conveyor chains, their guide grooves 58 and 59 engage the tracks 6B, El to rmly support and properly guide the holders to the reciprocating cutter blades. Due to the inclined disposition of the holders and the angular disposition of the blades to provide a V-shaped cutting throat, an automatic adjustment of the out as the fish travels past the blades is afforded. As the fish is irst presented to the blades, a maxi* mum Width of cut on either side of the center bone of the sh is made, and as the fish travels on the width of cut is gradually lessened in accordance with the smaller dimensions of the bone from the head end to thetail endof the fish, the blades being initially set to cut as close to the bone as possible to reduce the waste to a minimum. It will also be noted that the blades I3 are disposed at a slight angle to the vertical with the result that the effective cutting is performed on the down stroke of the blades, thereby insuring a smooth cut. After the cutting operation has been completed, the holders are carried to the left hand end of the machine where the sh are allowed to drop by gravity from the holders, the fish being in three pieces including the bone section and the two fillets.

I claim as my invention:

l. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame, anda pair of reciprocating cutblades disposed in parallel` relation in the direction of their width and crossing each other edgewise thereof to form an angular cutting throat between them for receiving the article to be out and for cutting such article longitudinally.

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame, reciprocating blade-yokes mounted on said frame, means for actuating said yokes, and cutter blades applied to said yokes in parallel relation in the direction of their width and crossing each other edgewise to form an angular cutting throat between them and for cutting such article longitudinally.

3. A machine of the character described, com- A substantially centrally between said blades for cutting such article lengthwise at opposite sides of its longitudinal center.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising a frames lreciprocating :blade-yokes; disposedasideby sideronfsaidiirame, cutter blades applied;.'to.said yokes,4 andv crossing. -each other. edgewise. to 4; formi an angular cutting throat betweeri- .them andelguidemeans fori-said yokes in cluding adjustable; connections g to s the frame for effectingJ the adjustment 'ofthe' yokes in `a di-' rectiongtoaccordinglyzbringi the bladesinto a.

givenfangularcutting position. f

5. Amachine offtheicharacter described, comprising a frame, reciprocating blade-yokes disposedi siderbyusidesonsaid .frame, cutter blades applied. tozsaidc-yokes and .crossing each otherd edgewise to form an angular cutting throat between them, guiding supports` for said yokes, and means for adjustably connecting said supports to the frame to effect a lateral tilting of the supports to vary the relative angular edgewise position of the blades.

6. A machine of the character described, comprising a frame, reciprocating blade-yokes disposedside by side on said frame, cutter blades applied to said yokes and crossing each other edgewise to form an angular cutting throat betweenthem, guiding supports for said yokes having pivot-bolt openings at their upper and lower ends, and means for adjustably connecting said f edgewise to form an angular cutting throat,be

tween them, guiding supports for said yokes, means for adjusting said supports to vary the angular cutting throat of the blades, and a crank shaft journaled 'inA said frame and having connecting rods joined to said supports for actuating said blade-yokes.

8. A filleting machine, comprising a frame, reciprocating cutter blades disposed side by side on said frame and crossing each other edgewise to form an angular cutting throat between them, a carrier for the Ash movable past said blades at a point above their intersection, two sets of guides for the blades disposed substantially at the inter.- secting portions of the blades and at a point thereof above the travel of the carrier, and a supporting rail mounted on said frame above the path of thecarrier and having an opening therein for the passage of the blades, said upper set of guidesbeingmounted onsaid supporting rail and extending across said rail-opening.

9. A iilleting machine, comprising a frame, reciprocating cutter blades disposed side by side on said frame and crossing eachother edgewise to form an angular cutting throat between them, a

carrier for the fish movable past said blades at a point above their intersection, two sets of guides for the blades disposed substantially at the intersecting portions of the blades and at a point thereof above the travel of the carrier, and a vertically adjustable supporting rail mounted on said frame above the path of the carrier and having an opening therein for the passage of the blades, said upper set of guides extending over said rail-opening and being pivoted to said rail for adjustment transversely thereof. l

10. A filleting machine, comprising a frame, a conveyor mounted on the same and consisting of a pair of endless beltsl arranged side by side, said I of said plates and shaped to receive a fish between "l them, and cutter blades disposed in the path of movement of said holders.

Y 11. In a sh lleting machine, a blade-yoke, a cutter blade applied thereto, and means for detachably connecting the ends of each blade to its yoke consisting of a rotatable bearing member mounted in each end of the yoke and having a flange projecting laterally therefrom in overlying relation tothe yoke, an attaching shank for the blade fitted in said bearing member to turn therewith but free to slide axially thereof and having a screw stem rising therefrom, means engageable with said bearing member flange for adjustably retaining the bearing member in a given position of adjustment, and a nut applied to said shank-stem for adjusting the tension of the blade.

' O'I'IO G. RIESKE. 

